Izabela Grzankowska

Flexibility of Coping with Stress Questionnaire for Adolescents (FCSQ-14A)

Coping flexibility is one of the crucial traits determining individual adaptive ability, which is associated with precise adjustment to environmental requirements in a stressful situation. One of the elements that assist in this adjustment is coping flexibility which relies on finding a strategy appropriate for the particular circumstances in which it is to be applied. People who are flexible in coping are characterized by sensitivity to subtle signals coming from the environment, which allow them to change their behavior and act in a more adaptive way. Flexibility in coping has not yet been studied in the Western population of children and adolescents. Due to the lack of methods that could record all signs of flexibility, it was reasonable to start work on a questionnaire that would measure this construct. To provide an equivalent to the Flexibility of Coping with Stress Questionnaire (FCSQ-14) for adults, the Flexibility of Coping with Stress Questionnaire for Adolescents (FCSQ-14A) was developed. Based on the results of pilot studies, assessment of competent judges (CVR < .6), and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) a tool containing 14 items –which examines three dimensions of flexibility: a repertoire of coping strategies, coping competence, and reflexivity –was created. The psychometric properties of the final version of the questionnaire were verified in terms of reliability and validity on a group of adolescents (N = 288), ages 14 to 20 (M = 16.50, SD = 1.58), in accordance with validation standards. The results showed that FCQ-14A is a valid and reliable method: most values of Cronbach’s αcoefficients exceed the value of .7, absolute stability is satisfactory, as is both the internal and external validity. The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) in a group of adolescents for a three-factor solution showed that the model is adjusted to the data on an acceptable level (RMSEA = .057; GFI = .94; AGFI = .92).

Family birth order position and psychological representation of the children assessed by Draw-a-Family Test

One of the ways of presenting children’s experiences connected with their family environment is projection in drawing. The aim of this research has been to identify differences in children’s psychological profi les according to their position in the family birth order.
Children, including 179 girls (54%) and 151 boys (46%), have been surveyed using the Test of Projection Drawing, modifi ed by Maria Braun-Gałkowska, with the topic “Family”. Only 295 drawings have been analyzed, excluding drawings of middle children and twins.
The results show differences, conditioned by the family birth order and by the child’s sex, in the children’s psychological profi les in some aspects of personality.